Suzhou, a historic city on the plains of eastern China, has just opened up the country's latest art exhibition space – and it's a spectacle for creatives, tourists, and architecture enthusiasts alike.
Located next to the Jinji Lake and the instantly recognizable Ferris Wheel by the water, the Suzhou Museum of Contemporary Art (Suzhou MoCA) spans an enormous 645,835 sq ft (60,000 sq m), with a fifth of that dedicated to exhibition spaces.
The design was led by the Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG), along with ARTS Group, VIA.inc, and SHUISHI. Having officially opened to the public on August 30, this is BIG's first completed art museum, and its first large-scale cultural project in China.
The Suzhou MoCA was inaugurated nearly four years after construction commenced in December 2022. The complex is meant to serve not only as a venue for modern art and design from China and abroad, but also to allow Suzhou's visitors and residents to enjoy open spaces by the water.
The structure is essentially a 'village' of nine exhibition pavilions integrated with courtyards, and connected by a corridor covered by a distinctive ribbon-like roof that defines the Suzhou Industrial Park skyline. Separately, bridges and tunnels also connect the pavilions above and underground.
"From above, the museum appears like a traditional infinity knot as it intertwines the legs of the Ferris wheel to reach all the way into the lake," said BIG's namesake and founder Bjarke Ingels. "With the vast number of visitors ascending the wheel above, the roof surface de facto becomes the true fifth facade of the art complex."
The museum's layout is inspired by the centuries-old classical gardens that Suzhou is known for, and also includes walkways that extend out to Jinji Lake. They invite visitors to explore the museum or stroll down to the water as they please.
Curved glass and warm-toned stainless steel have been used across the structure and its facades. These materials were chosen to reflect the sky, water, and painstakingly landscaped gardens around the building to connect the interiors to the environment outside.
The museum's four exhibition halls feature ceilings reaching nearly 60 ft (18 m) high, and expansive galleries that create dramatic spaces to showcase all kinds of artwork and installations. There's also a black box theater for performance pieces.
Suzhou MoCA has kicked off operations with an exhibition featuring works by Pablo Picasso that influenced artists across Europe, as well as a show curated by BIG exploring how diverse materials shape the studio's approach to structural design.
If you're lucky enough to find yourself in China anytime soon, this might be well worth a visit (Suzhou is less than half an hour from Shanghai by train). Find out about upcoming exhibitions on the museum's site.
Source: BIG
